This is primarily for those who have already signed up, but is useful to those who might be joining up soon. Once you have received your full set of results, you should consider doing two things. First, go to your personal page at Family Tree DNA and select the "Setup Preferences" tab. This will take you to a page where you can choose to have your results compared against the entire Family Tree DNA database, rather than just against those in the Bowles project. Doing this will make it possible for you to learn about very close matches (24/25 or 25/25 for example) that exist between you and someone with a different surname. If you choose to do this, then you should de-select the 12 marker matches/close matches option, and select only the 25 and 37 (if you have tested at 37 markers). This way you won't be inundated with false matches on the 12 marker level. The second thing you should consider doing is joining the Ysearch database. To do this, select the "Y-DNA Matches" tab and go to that window. On that page you will find a text box that contains this message: ----- Additional possibilities for searching matches: While our database is not open to the wide public for privacy reasons, Family Tree DNA has created Ysearch.org as a free public service so that people who have tested with the different companies can compare their results. You will be able to determine what portion of your personal information you want to disclose. Please note that a new user ID will be created for you and you will be asked to choose a new password. This new set of ID/Password is exclusive for Ysearch.org. You will also be given the opportunity to upload your GEDCOM if you have one. ----- There will be a statement at the end of the message that offers you a link to Ysearch.org. If you select that link, you will be taken there and guided through the process of joining that database. The main value to Ysearch is that you get to compare your results to others who may have tested with some other company other than Family Tree DNA. If you have questions, let me know. Charlie Hartley Bowles DNA Project Administrator [mailto:hartley@iglou.com]